This is an aerial view of of the City of Jackson's O.B. Curtis Water Plant, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
- There was little discussion on the House side before rejecting the Senate proposal. However, it was heavily debated last week in the Senate.
The Mississippi House of Representatives on Tuesday morning declined to concur with a Senate version of a bill to create a Jackson Water Authority to assist in resolving the capital city’s water struggles.
The bill now heads to conference between the two chambers in hopes of hammering out an agreement.
HB 1677 would create a water authority to oversee the system after the third-party interim manager departs. Currently, Ted Henifin is expected to remain at the helm of JXN Water until sometime next year.
The authority board would include members appointed by various governing bodies who must live or work in the Jackson Water Service area. The board will include the Mayor of Jackson, two appointees from the from the Governor and Lt. Governor, the President of the Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce, and one representative from the cities of Byram and Ridgeland approved by Jackson’s Mayor and City Council, along with two at-large members from Jackson.
There was little discussion on the House side before rejecting the Senate proposal. However, it was heavily debated last week in the Senate.
“This [bill] ensures safe and reliable water and wastewater systems, stabilizes system operations and finances, and best positions the system for long-term viability and success,” said State Senator Joel Carter (R), chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, who is guiding the bill through the Senate. “It restores customer confidence and rebuilds the bond market’s confidence in the system.”
The bill passed the Senate 43-8.
Most of the Jackson and surrounding area Senators voted against the measure. One of those opposing Senators was David Blount (D), who argued that he supports creating the authority but wants to see the Jackson metro area have more say on the board.
“I believe Jackson should have a majority of the board appointments and that Byram deserves its own independent appointment,” Blount said.
When the bill passed in the Senate Energy Committee, Jackson Mayor John Horhn (D) said, “Because the city owns the water/sewer assets and will remain partly responsible for the system’s debt if the system cannot sustain itself, Jackson should hold a majority on the governing board.”
Richard White (I), mayor of Byram, said he opposes the appointment and confirmation provision of the bill.
“If I appoint somebody, I don’t want somebody else checking them out,” White said, a reference to the Jackson Mayor and Jackson City Council holding the approval authority under the bill. “I ran, and I’m elected just like they are.”
During the Senate floor debate, a reverse repealer was defeated at the request of Carter. Now, the two chambers look to find a compromise as the session winds down.
Daniel Tyson
